Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Vs. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

With the increasing reliance on technology in the business world, it is more important than ever to ensure that your company’s data and systems are secure. Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting computer networks and systems from unauthorized access, cybersecurity attacks, and theft. Microsoft provides loads of cutting-edge cybersecurity tools including Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) that protects vital data from any kind of internal and external cybersecurity threats. In this article, we will explain the difference between Microsoft Defender for Office 365 (formerly Office 365 ATP) and Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (formerly Windows Defender ATP).

What Is Microsoft Defender for Office 365?

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is a cloud-based email filtering service that safeguards organization data against various malware, viruses, phishing, and other unsafe links by providing zero-day protection in real-time. Before email recipients open attachments or click on URLs, it evaluates the email’s content. It scans attachments and hyperlinks through separate, independent policies that administrators apply to specific users, groups, or domains. Businesses can also use this service to protect their files in Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive.

Features of Microsoft Defender for Office 365

The following are the features of Microsoft Defender for Office 365.

It offers a “safe attachments” feature that analyzes all attachments to prevent the delivery of malicious files.
Its “safe links” feature scans the content of the web page from hyperlinks in email and Office documents to mitigate any phishing and other website-based attacks.
It generates detailed reports to alert IT administrators, if certain users receive an unusually high volume of suspicious emails or malicious content, and which users open or click on potentially harmful content.

When Is Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Required?

Microsoft Defender for Office 365, previously known as Office 365 ATP, is used to filter and scan emails to avoid any potential email phishing. Hence, it is recommended for those users who want to protect their email accounts from any malicious attachments and URLs. Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is included in the Microsoft 365 E5 security plan. Users can also access these features by purchasing these as add-on plans: Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 ($2.00 user/month) and Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 2 ($5.00 user/month).

What Is Microsoft Defender for Endpoint?

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is a cybersecurity tool that safeguards devices and data from malware, spyware, and many other malicious software. It provides preventative protection, post-breach detection, automated investigation, and response capabilities. It helps businesses defend against sophisticated attacks by using machine learning and behavioral analytics to identify anomalies, isolate malicious activity, and enable proactive response.

Features of Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint offers various features such as:

It discovers security vulnerabilities, prioritizes them, and allows businesses to remediate them with security recommendations.
It provides “Attack Surface Reduction” by ensuring hardware isolation, which reduces the attack surface, isolating untrusted websites and PDFs to keep them separate from Windows 10.
Uses various algorithms and processes to evaluate alerts and take immediate action to address breaches.
It offers a dashboard, which allows exploring the organization’s security status such as machines at risk, users at risk, suspicious activities, active alerts, and automated investigations in numerous ways from a centralized location.

When Is Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Required?

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, previously known as Windows Defender ATP, helps businesses to protect their system as well as their vital documents from ransomware, malware, viruses, and many other attacks. Hence, it is recommended for those users who want complete system protection against cybersecurity threats. These features are included in Microsoft 365 E5 & Microsoft 365 E3 plans and are also available as add-on plans: Microsoft Defender for Endpoint ($3.00 user/month) and Microsoft Defender for Endpoint P2 ($5.20 user/month).

Implement Microsoft Solutions Effectively with Apps4Rent

While Microsoft Defender for Office 365 and Microsoft Defender for Endpoint provide distinct functionalities, it is recommended to use both security solutions to protect vital business data from malicious emails as well as from ever-increasing cybersecurity attacks to ensure complete data integrity.

As a Microsoft Solutions Partner, Apps4Rent can help businesses by providing ideal Microsoft 365/ Office 365 licenses and can customize Microsoft’s cybersecurity capabilities according to business requirements. Contact our Microsoft-certified cloud experts, available 24/7/365 via phone, email, or chat for assistance.